This, after Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. said last Friday that he would lead riots and protests against bills that would seek the privatization of government hospitals.

But Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda denied of such a plan.

“There has been a misnomer. Hindi po ipa-privatize ang government hospitals,” he said in an interview on Radyo ng Bayan.

Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño earlier warned that House Bill No. 6069, or an Act Creating National Government Hospital Corporations, and Senate Bill No. 3110, or the National Government Hospital Corporate Restructuring Act, could lead to the privatization of government hospitals.

But Lacierda explained that the plan was for government hospitals to be set up as “juridical” entities.

Bacolod Rep. Anthony Golez, who authored House Bill No. 6069, had earlier explained that his bill only aims to give government hospitals fiscal autonomy and allow them to engage in income-generating activities.

Fears over the supposed plans to privatize government hospitals come amid concerns over the Department of Health plan to close down charity wards in government hospitals.